Medical cabinet.



N0. 700,56l. Patent-ed May 20,- I902.

W. S. ROWLEY & L. B. FREEMAN.

MEDICAL CABINET.

(Application filed Aug. 5, 1901.\

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

' awwmtoza do Fawl No. 700,56l. Patented May 20,1902. W. S. BUWLEY G. L. B. FREEMAN.

MEDIQAL CABINET. (Application ,QledAug. 6, 1901.)

3 Shaets$heet 2.

v (No Model.)

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No. 700,56I. v Patented May 20, I902.

W. S. BOWLEY & L. B. FREEMAN.

MEDICAL GABINET. (Application filed Aug. 5, 1901.)

(Nb Model.) '3 8heats$heet 3.

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(UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

IVINFIELD S. ROVLEY AND LAURENS B. FREEMAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

MEDICAL CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,561, dated May 20, 1902. Application filed August 5, 1901. Serial No. 70,851. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, itmcty concern:

Be itknown that we, WVINFIELD S. ROWLEY and LAURENS B. FREEMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Medical Cabinet, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in that class of medical apparatus in which the patient is inclosed in a substantially air-tight cabinet and enveloped in a medicated air or vapor. In this class of apparatus now generally in use the medicine is carried into the cabinet in the form of vapor which has been produced by the passage of a jet of steam through a medicated chamber. The use of an apparatus of this kind has been found to be objectionable with consumptive patients owing to the fact that the use of the steam humidifies the air to such a point-as to be injurious. In the treatment of all classes of cases also it is found that the use of steam is' exceedingly objectionable on account of the extreme heat produced in the cabinet, suchheat being extremely debilitating to many patients.

The object of our invention is to produce means for introducing a medicated vapor or medicine in the form of vapor into a cabinet by means of a stream of compressed air under high pressure, as actual experiments have shown that a medicine which has been vaporized by means of a stream of compressed air at high pressure has a much more beneficial efiect upon the patient because of a resulting expansion of the tissues of the lungs rather than the contraction which is produced by a hot humid vapor such as that produced by steam. By the use of compressed air as a carrying medium for the medicine the lungs become much more receptive and a greater proportion'of medicine'is absorbed.

A further object of our invention is to provide a plurality of medicine-holders, which are preferably detachable, by means of which medicines of different characters may be injected into the cabinet either in combination or at different times and in such manner that no patient will besubjected to anymedicine not prescribed.

A further object of our invention is to produce means for cooling the cabinet, to provide means by which the patient may administer to himself the medicine prescribed, to provide means by which steam may be combined with the air in such manner as to regulate to a nicety the humidity of the injected medicine, and to provide such other improvements in' details of construction as shall be hereinafter pointed out.

The accompanying drawings illustrate our invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the exterior of our improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the cabinet. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional detail. detail.

In the drawings, 6 indicates a suitable cabinet having a door 7. Leading into the cabinet 6 is a pipe 8, provided outside with a pair of valves 9 and 10 and from thence leading through'a meter and pressure-indicator 11 and'an adjustable pressure-red ucing valve 12 toa storage-tank 13, in which will be contamed a supply of compressed air introduced therein by a compressor 14: of any desired type.

The compressor 14 should be capable, however, of producing comparatively high pressures, as actual experiments show that a more perfect breaking up of the medicine into a vapor which is practically dry and does not precipitate may be accomplished. Leading into pipe 8 between valves 9 and 10 is a pipe 15, which leads from a steam-generator 16. The cabinet is preferably provided with double walls, as shown in Fig. 2, between which the distributing-pipes may run. Connected with pipe 8 is a series of branch pipes 17, in each of which is mounted a valve 18, beyond which is arranged a reduction-plug 19, the outlet 20 through which is considerably Fig. 4 is a sectionalsmaller than the internal diameter of the pipe 17. Connected. to plug 19 by a separable coupling 21 is acup 22, the chamber of which is adapted to befilled'with a porous 'absorbentlv material, such ascotton, into which a medicine may be droppedfrom a'medicinereservoir 23, the flow from said reservoir into the cup 22 being controlled by a suitable valve 24. By means of the reduction-plug the force of the air through the medicine-cup is increased and a more perfect breaking up of the medicine produced with a minimum amount of air. Leading from cup 22 is a discharge-pipe 25, to which is secured a separable coupling 26, by means of which the cup may be detachably connected to a dischargepipe 27. Each discharge-pipe 27 is provided with a discharge-nozzle 28, each of which is placed opposite an opening 29, formed in the inner wall of the cabinet. Leading from pipe 8 is a pipe 30, provided with a valve 31, which pipe is provided with a nozzle 32, similar to the nozzles 28 and discharging into the interior of the cabinet through one of the openings 29.

The mechanism here described, at least so much thereof as the valves 18 and 31, is-accessible from the interior of the cabinet in such manner that the patient inclosed in the cabinet may control the flow of medicated or other air into the cabinet.

In order to cool the cabinet, we mount in the upper part thereof an expansion-chamber 33 of comparatively large capacity, into which is led a small pipe 34, which is connected to pipe 8 between the air-reservoir and valve 10 and provided with a valve 35. Leading from chamber 33 is a large exhaust-pipe 36, the arrangement being such that, by introducing compressed air into chamber 33 and allowing the same to expand suddenly, the temperature of the cabinet and consequently the temperature of the chamber may be lowered to any desired degree.

The operation is readily apparent. By providing a plurality of medicine-cups any desired combination of medicines may be made and by loosening the couplings 21 and 26 a cup may be bodilyremoved and another containing different medicine be inserted. In order to enable the operating physician to control the apparatus, a door 37 is formed in the rear wall of the cabinet in order to give access to the various valves.

The adjustable pressure-reducing valve 1-2 enables the'operator to subject the patient to that external pressure most suitable to the case.

We claim as our invention 1. In a medical cabinet, the combination with the cabinet, of an air-compressor, a supply-pipe leading therefrom, an adjustable pressure-reducing valve mounted therein, a series of branch pipes leading from said sup ply-pipe, a valve arranged in each of said branch pipes, a reduction-plug connected to each valve, and a series of medicine-receptacles arranged one between each reductionplug and adjacent discharge-nozzle.

2. In a medical cabinet, the combination with the cabinet, of an air-compressor, a supply-pipe leading therefrom, an adjustable pressure-reducing valve mounted therein, a series of branch pipes leading from said supply-pipe, a valve arranged in each of said.

branch pipes, a reduction-plug connected to each valve, a series of discharge-nozzles discharging into the cabinet, and a series of medicine-receptacles removably mounted between each reduction-plug and'adjacent dischargenozzle.

3. In a medical cabinet, the combination with a cabinet, of an air-compressor, a supply leading therefrom, a valve arranged in said supply-pipe, a reduction-plug connected to said valve, a discharge-nozzle discharging into the cabinet, and a medicine-receptacle mounted between the reductiomplug and discharge-nozzle.

4:. In a medical cabinet, the combination with thecabinet, of an air-compressor, a supply-pipe leading therefrom, a series of branch pipes leading from said supply-pipe, a valve arranged in each of said branch pipes, a reduction-plug connected to each valve, aseries of discharge-nozzles discharginginto the cabinet, and the series of medicine-receptacles removably mounted between each reductionplug and adjacent discharge-nozzle.

\Vitnesses: v

ARTHUR M. H001), FRANK A. FABLE. 

